Daria Musk's 4 Steps to Google+ Hangout Success

Indie music artist Daria Musk has found an ingenious way into the homes and hearts of her fans through Google+. The singer has been known to perform live for fans using Google+ Hangouts and even invited them on-stage during her TEDxTalk via video chat.

Clearly, she’s found the working formula for fan engagement; over 2.5 million people now follow her Google+ Page. In a success story published by Google+, Daria shared her 4 steps to Google+ Hangout Success:

1. Announce and Promote Your Hangout

Leading up to the event, make an announcement on your Google+ Page. Be sure to let people know the date, time, and how to join. Google+ also offers a promotional vehicle called Hype My Hangout, where you can air short promotional videos for people looking for interesting Hangouts to join.

Promote your Hangout through your other social channels, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and wherever your company has a following. If you have an email list, let those people know how to join, as well.

2. Encourage Participation in Your Hangout

Invite participants to ask questions, make comments and otherwise truly participate in the event. Remember, a Hangout is a live chat, not a broadcast! You might even ask participants to submit questions in advance to help you prepare and give onlookers a preview of the types of information they’ll see in the Hangout.

3. Follow Up

Get the most mileage out of your Hangout by posting a summary to your Google+ stream and uploading the video to YouTube. For Daria’s “You Move Me” Live Hangout Concert, she earned an additional 17,000 views by publishing the video on YouTube. This also means the video is searchable and becomes an evergreen piece of content for her. These videos can then be promoted through your other social channels, as well.

4. Use Your Hangouts for Inspiration

Daria uses Hangouts to interact with fans and get inspired. Businesses can do this, too! Use your Hangouts to give fans a sneak peek at an upcoming product launch and get feedback. Ask them what types of experiences they have interacting with your company online and where you could improve. You might be surprised at how much you can learn by establishing an open line of communication with fans and customers!